Dreamiopsis is a very unpretentious and beautiful plant. It quickly forms a lush green crown, and twice a year produces a dense inflorescence with snow-white fragrant flowers. Dreamiopsis lives in South Africa, where it completely covers large areas. Due to its ability to multiply rapidly and easy to care for, it is found in various climatic zones and has long won the hearts of flower growers around the world.
Plant description
The genus Dreamiopsis belongs to the Asparagus family, the Hyacinth subfamily. Its homeland is the tropical zone of the African continent, where the plant grows in its natural environment. In cooler regions, this bulbous perennial is grown as a houseplant. Dreamiopsis is sometimes called "ledeburia" in honor of the botanist who discovered it to the world. The popular name is also known - "Scylla".
The plant has a bulbous root system. Most of the bulbs are located above the surface of the soil. Large petiole leaves form directly from the ground. The length of the petiole is 8-15 cm, and the leaf plate is 11-25 cm. The leaves are ovoid or heart-shaped. The edges of the leaves are smooth, and the end is pointed. The surface of the sheet is glossy, plain or spotty.
Flowering occurs at the end of February and lasts for 2-3 months. Under favorable conditions, new buds appear in September. A dense spike-shaped inflorescence is located on a long flexible peduncle. In total, up to 30 white-greenish buds are located on one stem. The size of each open flower does not exceed 5 mm. They are revealed gradually, starting from the bottom. The flowering period is accompanied by a delicate aroma similar to the smell of lilies of the valley.
Varieties
In nature, there are 22 varieties of dreamiopsis, however, only 14 of them are registered. Almost all of them are common only in the natural environment. At home, only two types of dreamiopsis are cultivated.
Drimiopsis spotted. Distributed in the vicinity of Tanzania. It forms compact bushes 25-35 cm high. Oval leaves are 15 cm long. They are attached to long (up to 20 cm) petioles. Their surface is painted in a light green color and densely covered with darker spots. In bright sun the motley coloring becomes even more noticeable, and in the shade it can completely disappear. Flowering of this variety occurs in mid-April - July. At this time, long, often curved arrows appear with a dense whisk of snow-white, cream or yellow flowers. When the flowers fade, the plant goes into a dormant state and almost completely gets rid of the leaves. The leaves gradually dry.
Dreamiopsis Pickaxe more common near Zanzibar and Kenya. It forms a larger, sprawling bush up to 50 cm in height. Leaves are located on shortened petioles and have a leathery, plain surface. Sometimes a small amount of dark speck is visible on the foliage. The shape of the leaf plate is oval or heart-shaped, with a very elongated, pointed edge. The leaf length is about 35 cm, with a width of 5 cm. Relief veins are visible along the entire surface of the leaves. From March to September, peduncles 20-40 cm long are formed, which are densely covered with buds on top. The species is considered evergreen and does not get rid of foliage during dormancy, it only stops the formation of new shoots.
Breeding methods
Dreamiopsis propagates by vegetative and seed methods. Growing dreamiopsis from seeds is a rather troublesome task. It is complicated by the fact that collecting seeds is not easy and they very quickly lose their germination. However, you can sow the seeds in light, moistened soil. The surface of the pot is covered with a film. The container must be placed in a warm (+ 22 ... + 25 ° C) and bright room. Shoots appear within 1-3 weeks. After germination, the shelter is removed from the greenhouse and regularly watered. Seedlings are rapidly growing green mass.
A much simpler method of propagation is the separation of young bulbs. Dreamiopsis grows very fast and can only double in size in a year. You should completely dig out the plant and carefully divide the bulbs. It is important to preserve thin roots, and sprinkle damage with crushed charcoal. Young bulbs are planted singly or in small groups, given that the plant will soon grow again.
Drimiopsis Kirk can also be propagated by cuttings. Adults, strong leaves are cut off at the base and root. You can put the leaf in water for several days or immediately plant it in moist sandy soil. During the rooting period, it is important to maintain a temperature of + 22 ° C. After the emergence of independent roots, the cuttings are planted in small pots in a light, fertile soil.
Care Rules
Dreamiopsis needs minimal care at home, because the plant is very unpretentious and reproduces well. For planting, choose wide and flat containers, so that new bulbs have enough space. The soil for planting is light and fertile. Usually use a mixture of peat, deciduous humus, turf land and river sand. You can use a ready-made substrate for ornamental plants and add more sand to it. A thick drainage layer must be laid on the bottom of the tank.
Water the plant infrequently, so that the soil dries well. A resident of the tropics normally perceives periodic drought, but suffers greatly from root rot. Even in extreme heat, one watering per week is sufficient, and during the dormant period, the plant is watered every 10-15 days. It is possible to spray foliage, but infrequently. To protect the bulbs and shoots from excess moisture, you can lay a layer of pebbles or vermiculite on the soil surface.
During the period of active growth and flowering, liquid fertilizers should be applied for flowering indoor plants. Dreamiopsis also responds well to fertilizers for bulb plants or cacti.
Quickly growing bushes need to be periodically planted or transplanted into large containers. The transplant is carried out every 2-3 years. You should not carry out the procedure every year, because the plant will cease to bloom.
Dreamiopsis prefers bright and warm places. Only under the bright sun its leaves become variegated. On the open balcony or in the garden, the bushes can be placed in direct sunlight, but on the southern windowsill it is better to create a small shadow. With a lack of light, the leaves begin to turn pale and stretch very much. On the northern windowsill, the plant can generally discard part of the foliage and lose its decorative effect.
The optimum temperature regime for dreamiopsis is + 15 ... + 25 ° C. In winter, it is recommended not to exceed the threshold of + 20 ° C, but the rest period is characterized not so much by cooling as by a decrease in watering. It is important to place the pots away from drafts. Do not lower the temperature below + 8 ° C. In this case, plant death may occur, as well as rotting of the bulbs.
Dreamiopsis awakens on its own. With the first warm and sunny spring days, bulbs release arrows, from which young leaves form. In just a couple of weeks, the plant already forms a small bush.
Pests and diseases
Dreamiopsis is resistant to disease, but may suffer from rot and other fungal diseases. They affect the plant with excessive watering or placed in damp, cold rooms. You can deal with the problem by changing the conditions of detention and treatment with antifungal drugs.
Possible attacks of spider mites or scale insects. In this case, you can rinse the foliage under a warm shower or treat with soapy water. If the procedure did not help, you need to use insecticides (actara, confidor).
